Minimize Damage from Wildfires and Tropical Storms 

June 9, 2023: Wildfires are no longer contained to the hot, late-summer months. Multiple studies have found that climate change has already led to an increase in wildfire season length, wildfire frequency, and burned area.¹ According to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, wildfire "season" is now a year-round, country-wide risk.²

For other areas of the U.S., it’s tropical storm season that causes concern. For 2023, NOAA is forecasting a range of 5 to 9 hurricanes which includes 1 to 4 major hurricanes with category 3, 4 or 5 winds.³ 

The time to prepare and reduce your risk of damage is now. Here are some things you can do to prepare if your church, school, or ministry buildings lie in the path of either threat.

Preparing for Wildfires

If you’re in an area experiencing dry heat or are under a no-fire order, preparing your ministry’s property in advance of a fire can minimize damage. DisasterSafety.org recommends creating a defensible space around your buildings. This includes removing dried or dead vegetation, trimming any tree branches that hang over your roof, and removing anything combustible within 5 feet of each building. Most importantly, determine the emergency evacuation route for your ministry, in case you need to leave quickly.

As a wildfire progresses, blazing embers that fly ahead of a wildfire’s flames pose the largest threat to buildings. Here are a few steps you can take to protect vulnerable areas of your property when a wildfire is approaching:

• Cover single-paned windows with shutters or ½ inch-thick plywood.

• Leave a light on in each room to aid firefighters.

• Place tennis balls in downspouts and fill the gutters with water.

Preparing for Tropical Storms

If you're in an area that could be a hit by a tropical storm or hurricane, look into repairs and upgrades that could prevent or reduce damage to your church and school buildings. Some projects may require professional help. Here are a few ideas to help minimize damage from a hurricane:

• When a hurricane watch is posted, move any outside furniture or equipment indoors.

• Anchor your building’s roof to the walls using hurricane straps. If your windows break during a hurricane, this will help keep the roof from being lifted off by the wind pressure that enters the building.

• Trim trees and shrubbery. This will reduce the chance that a branch could become a projectile or fall on your building.

• Install storm shutters on your windows and glass doors. A less expensive option is to use ¾ inch-thick plywood that you can put up when a watch is posted.

Free Resources for Ministries

Whatever disasters are common to your area, our online Safety Library can help you prepare—and recover. We’ve selected a few articles to get you started:

Disaster Planning

• Creating an Emergency Response Plan for Your Church

• Checklist: Developing a Disaster Plan

• Disaster Recovery: Ministry Continuity Resources

• Power Outages: Out of Darkness and Into Light

Tropical Storms and Hurricanes

• Prepare for Hurricane Season

• Defend Your Property Against High Winds

• Prepare for High Winds—Now!

• Hurricanes: Returning to Damaged Areas

• Floods: Returning to Flood-Damaged Areas

Wildfires  

• A wildfire is coming—Is your church prepared?

• Wildfire preparation checklist

• DisasterSafety.org: Wildfire – Creating a Defensible Space

Additional Topics

• Fire Prevention

• Freezing Weather

• Hazardous Winds

• Water and Flood Damage

1 "Climate Change Indicators: Wildfires." Environmental Protection Agency, 9 June 2023. https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-wildfires.

2 “2022 North American Wildfires.” Center for Disaster Philanthropy, 21 June 2022. https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters/2022-north-american-wildfires.

3 “NOAA predicts a near-normal 2023 Atlantic hurricane season.” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 25 May 2023. https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/2023-atlantic-hurricane-season-outlook.